Conventional mobile vehicles are typically equipped with suspension systems to manage the impact of forces and disturbances on the roadway so the vehicle occupants experience a comfortable ride. Axle beam suspension systems operate to reduce the vehicle roll and the shake of the occupants of the mobile vehicle.
Axle beam suspension systems in which a track bar extends across the width of the region between wheels opposably positioned at the ends of the axle generally provide a suspension geometry without lateral shift. However, a suitable length track bar cannot be accommodated in some vehicles, which have packaging constraints and/or lack attaching structures. Short track bars are used in such cases, however the shortened length results in a lateral shift in the suspension geometry. This causes the vehicle to shake and vibrate when the wheel on the axle jounces and rebounds.
In addition, the lateral shift caused by the shortened track bar affects the wheel, tire, and coil spring packaging envelopes. Additional clearance inboard and outboard of the wheel and coil spring packages is required to accommodate the kinematics shift in the suspension geometry. The shortened track bar also necessitates an additional space for the axle beam packaging and for any component attached to or near the axle beam.
A conventional track bar, either shortened or typical length, has only one body structure attachment. The vehicle loads are transmitted through this single attachment. This concentrated load degrades the noise levels and harshness measurements of the ride. This concentrated load also necessitates additional body structure to support the load.
It is desirable to reduce the packaging space required in a vehicle and to eliminate or reduce the lateral shift in the suspension geometry while using a shortened track bar. It is further desirable to improve the noise levels and harshness measurements of the ride due to a track bar in a suspension system having a single attachment to the vehicle body.